Prognostic Value of Lymph Node Ratio in Patients Receiving Combined Surgical Resection for Gastric Cancer Liver Metastasis: Results from Two National Centers in China

Value of spiral CT multi-parameter combined preoperative evaluation of microvascular invasion in small liver cancer

Objective:

To explore the value of multi-slice spiral CT (MSCT) in predicting microvascular invasion in hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC).

Methods:

The CT and clinical data of 102 patients with HCC were collected for retrospective analysis from January 2018 to December 2020 at Baoji Center Hospital, China. They were divided into two groups based on the pathological results with or without microvascular invasion. The independent sample t-test was used to compare the age, alpha-fetoprotein (AFP) value, tumor size, and tumor enhancement of the two groups. CT value; χ² test was used to compare gender, hepatitis type, liver function classification, degree of classification, degree of tumor smoothness, envelope, peripheral enhancement, etc. between the two groups.

Results:

There were 52 cases of non-microvascular invasion and 50 cases of microvascular invasion. The tumor size, grade, degree of margin, capsule, portal vein CT value, and peripheral enhancement were related to microvascular invasion.

Conclusion:

Microvascular invasion of HCC can be predicted by MSCT manifestations before surgery.

The Prognostic Value of Postoperative Lymph Node Ratio in Gastric Adenocarcinoma Patients Treated With Neoadjuvant Chemotherapy

Objective

In this study, we aimed to investigate the prognostic value of postoperative lymph node ratio (LNR)in locally advanced gastric cancer (GC) patients receiving neoadjuvant chemotherapy (NACT).

Methods

LNR was calculated as the ratio of positive LNs to the total LNs removed. The receiver operating characteristic (ROC) curve was plotted to estimate the cut-off value of LNR for recurrence. The area under the curve of LNR was 0.714 (95% CI: 0.604-0.825, p<0.001) with 60% sensitivity and >0.255 with 76% specificity. Patients were grouped as group I (≤0.255) and group II (>0.255).

Results

In this study, 157 GC patients were included (39.5% female and 60.5% male). Of the patients, 97 (61.8%) were in group I and 60 (38.2%) were in group II. Disease‑free survival (DFS) was not reached in group I, and it was 16 months in group II (p<0.001). Overall survival (OS) was 58 months in group I and 28 months in group II (p>0.001). In multivariate analysis, lymphovascular invasion, neoadjuvant response, adjuvant treatment, and LNR were found to be the factors associated with DFS and OS (p<0.05).

Conclusion

In our study, it was observed that LNR can predict survival rates better than LN staging.

Efficacy of Surgery for the Treatment of Gastric Cancer Liver Metastases: A Systematic Review of the Literature and Meta-Analysis of Prognostic Factors

BACKGROUND

In the last 10 years, the management of patients with gastric cancer liver metastases (GCLM) has changed from chemotherapy alone, towards a multidisciplinary treatment with liver surgery playing a leading role. The aim of this systematic review and meta-analysis is to assess the efficacy of hepatectomy for GCLM and to analyze the impact of related prognostic factors on long-term outcomes.

METHODS

The databases PubMed (Medline), EMBASE, and Google Scholar were searched for relevant articles from January 2010 to September 2020. We included prospective and retrospective studies that reported the outcomes after hepatectomy for GCLM. A systematic review of the literature and meta-analysis of prognostic factors was performed.

RESULTS

We included 40 studies, including 1573 participants who underwent hepatic resection for GCLM. Post-operative morbidity and 30-day mortality rates were 24.7% and 1.6%, respectively. One-year, 3-years, and 5-years overall survival (OS) were 72%, 37%, and 26%, respectively. The 1-year, 3-years, and 5-years disease-free survival (DFS) were 44%, 24%, and 22%, respectively. Well-moderately differentiated tumors, pT1-2 and pN0-1 adenocarcinoma, R0 resection, the presence of solitary metastasis, unilobar metastases, metachronous metastasis, and chemotherapy were all strongly positively associated to better OS and DFS.

CONCLUSION

In the present study, we demonstrated that hepatectomy for GCLM is feasible and provides benefits in terms of long-term survival. Identification of patient subgroups that could benefit from surgical treatment is mandatory in a multidisciplinary setting.

Ultrasound-guided secondary radiofrequency ablation combined with chemotherapy in gastric cancer with recurrent liver metastasis

Background

The incidence and mortality of gastric cancer are in the second and third place of malignant tumor in China, respectively. Liver metastasis is an important cause of death of these patients. This study is to explore whether the secondary radiofrequency ablation (RFA) treatment can prolong the survival period and improve the life quality of patients with gastric cancer and recurrent liver metastases.

Methods

A total of 87 patients with gastric cancer and recurrent liver metastases were retrospective analyzed, 46 cases were assigned into study group and 41 cases in control group. The efficacy of the two groups was observed, and the prognostic factors were analyzed.

Results

The median survival time in the study group was significantly longer than that in the control group (P<0.05). The survival rate of the study group was significantly higher than that of the control group (both P<0.05). The life quality scores of the study group were significantly higher than the control group (both P<0.05).

Conclusions

Ultrasound-mediated secondary RFA combined with chemotherapy is superior to chemotherapy alone in the treatment of gastric cancer with recurrent liver metastases.

The Role of the Lymph Node Ratio in Advanced Gastric Cancer After Neoadjuvant Chemotherapy

The ratio of positive lymph nodes (LNs) to the total LN harvest is called the LN ratio (LNR). It is an independent prognostic factor in gastric cancer (GC). The aim of the current study was to evaluate the impact of neoadjuvant chemotherapy (NAC) on the LNR (ypLNR) in patients with advanced GC. We retrospectively analyzed the data of patients with advanced GC, who underwent gastrectomy with N1 and N2 (D2) lymphadenectomy between August 2011 and January 2019 in the Department of Surgical Oncology at the Medical University of Lublin. The exclusion criteria were a lack of preoperative NAC administration, suboptimal lymphadenectomy (<D2 and/or removal of less than 15 lymph nodes), and a lack of data on tumor regression grading (TRG) in the final pathological report. A total of 95 patients were eligible for the analysis. A positive correlation was found between the ypLNR and tumor diameter (p < 0.001), post treatment pathological Tumour (ypT) stage (p < 0.001), Laurén histological subtype (p = 0.0001), and the response to NAC (p < 0.0001). A multivariate analysis demonstrated that the ypLNR was an independent prognostic factor in patients with intestinal type GC (p = 0.0465) and in patients with no response to NAC (p = 0.0483). In the resection specimen, tumor diameter and depth of infiltration, Laurén histological subtype, and TRG may reflect the impact of NAC on LN status, as quantified by ypLNR in advanced GC.

Systematic review of partial hepatic resection to treat hepatic metastases in patients with gastric cancer

OBJECTIVE

To examine overall survival and mortality following hepatic resection in patients with hepatic metastases from gastric cancer.

METHODS

EMBASE, PubMed, Web of Science, and Cochrane databases were systematically searched for publications involving more than 10 patients who underwent hepatic resection to treat hepatic metastases from gastric cancer and who did not have peritoneal disease or involvement of other distant organs.

RESULTS

A total of 39 studies were included, involving a median of 21 hepatic resections (range, 10-64). Resection was associated with median 30-day morbidity of 24% (range, 0%-47%) and 30-day mortality of 0% (range, 0%-30%). Median overall survival was 68% at 1 year, 31% at 3 years, and 27% at 5 years. Asian studies reported higher rates than Western studies for overall survival at 1 year (73% vs 59%), 3 years (34% vs 25%), and 5 years (27% vs 17%). Compared with palliative treatment, resection was associated with significantly lower mortality at 1 year (risk ratio [RR] 0.47, P < 0.001) and 2 years (RR 0.70, P < 0.001).

CONCLUSION

Patients with hepatic metastases from gastric cancer may benefit from hepatic resection in case of good physical condition, absence of peritoneal dialysis, and optimum liver function with single metastases. More trials are needed to confirm this finding.